National Fire Authority (NFA) is advising members of the community to take extra care during this Diwali celebration to avoid a fire incident from happening at their homes.
There will be a lot of activities during Diwali celebration including the lighting of candles, diyas, electric decoration, firecrackers and cooking. The probability of a fire occurring will be high, as such, it is very important to take extra care.
NFA CEO John O’Connor said that during Diwali, especially with firecrackers, people must take extra care when using firecrackers.
“People must be mindful of fire safety when playing with firecrackers.
“We all have a duty of care to ensure that we prevent a fire from occurring so that all members of the community can have a safe and enjoyable Diwali,” Mr O’Connor said.
“Firecrackers can be a fire ignition source if it not handled with care.
“Members of the community must always ensure that when lighting firecrackers, firecrackers should never be pointed towards their or other properties and it should always be pointed towards an open space away from properties.
Last year during Diwali celebrations, NFA attended to home fire incidents caused by a prayer diya which was left unattended in the house resulting in a fire and a firecracker which accidently landed on the veranda of a property and set the settee alight.
“Such property fire incidents can be avoided and we are urging parents to closely supervise their children,” Mr O’Connor said.
“It is also very important that members of the community must always read fire safety instructions in the firecrackers before lighting it and parents must supervise their children all the time.
“Members of the community must also ensure that they do not leave their cooking, prayer diyas, candles and lightings unattended and such ignition sources must be put out before members of the community go to sleep.
“These are some of the important fire safety tips which people must always consider during Diwali and other festivals which involve fire ignition sources like candles and lightings as fires can easily start at home if people are not that careful,” Mr O’Connor said.
“We are humbly requesting parents to closely supervise their children when they are playing with candles, sparkles and firecrackers,” Mr O’Connor added.
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